Singaporean Minister for Manpower positive on ties with Vietnam

He stressed the three key aspects that both sides are focusing on to beef up ties, namely human resources development, economic and investment relations, and strategic partnership. Specifically, Singapore represents a leading supporter of Vietnamese human resources development through initiatives like the Singapore Cooperation Programme (SCP), the Potential Leaders’ Programme, and the Singapore-Vietnam Connectivity Ministerial Meeting.

It is also the Vietnamese side’s second-largest foreign investor, making significant contribution to industrial and commercial zones, whilst also creating hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Meanwhile, the emphasis placed on enhancing bilateral relations and the strategic partnership particularly spotlights the renewable energy sector through joint ventures, technical co-operation, and carbon credits, as well as boosting regional collaboration in a bid to improve energy development capabilities and support sustainable development.

The Minister also underlined the importance of supporting ASEAN and international law whilst committing to a peaceful and prosperous Southeast Asia.

As part of his address, Vietnamese Ambassador Mai Phuoc Dung said that after 79 years of national building and defence, the Vietnamese side has emerged as a middle-income country with a stable and strong political system, as well as a new image and position on the international stage.

In terms of its relations with Singapore, both countries enjoy a robust, substantive, and effective co-operation across various areas, with this being reflected through the upgrade of their bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2023.

Within the multilateral framework, the two sides have closely collaborated with other ASEAN member states and partners as a way of reinforcing ASEAN's unity and centrality in regional issues, as well as in building a safe and stable regional and international order based on the principles of international law.